Water-cooled slab mold



E. C. FALK EVAL.

WATER- COOLED SLAB MOLD Filed Feb. 15, 1944.

3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Oct. 7, 1947. E. C.'FALK ETA( v 2,428,657

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ivPatented Oct. 7, 1.947. I

AUNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE WATER-COOLED SLAB MOLD Ernest C. Falk and Robert S. Storrs, Torrington, Conn., assignors to The American Brass Company, a corporation of Connecticut Application February 15, 1944, Serial No. 522,459

`5 Claims. (Cl. 22-144) 2 This invention relates to water-cooled or chill 'I'he mold comprises a stationary mold member slab molds, and more particularly to molds of A (mold back) and a complementary mold memthe type described in Junker U. S. Patent No. ber B (mold front) pivotally connected together 1,615,086. Molds of this type are extensively by links I and pins II so that the member B can used for casting slabs of metal, such' as copper- 5 be swung to and fro to close and open the mold.

bearing alloys, which are subsequently reduced Thus, the mold front is pivotally mounted at one to sheets by rolling. side of the mold back. Transverse spaced yokes In general, water-cooled slab molds of this type I2 are mounted in brackets I3 on the outer face comprise a stationary mold back and a compleof the movable mold member B. A link I4 is mentary or mating mold front hinged to 'the 10 pivoted to each end of each yoke. The outer mold back and capable of being swung through or free end of each link I4 has a head I5 adapted an are of 90 or more. When closed, the mold to operatively engage slotted lugs I6 on the sides back and front provide a rectangular mold cavity of th'e stationary mold member A. When the having faces and sides of good heat conductivity, mold is closed and the heads I5 operatively enusually plates of copper. The mold faces and gage their respective Sletted lugs lli, the meld usually the mold sides are in contact with cirmembers A and B are clamped or locked toculating water or other suitable cooling medium gether by turning the bolts Il. screw-threaded flowing through' appropriately provided compartin central bosses I8 of each yoke and pressing ments. The supply and withdrawal of the coolagainst aligning Seats i9 0n the Outer face 0f ing medium to these compartments has heretothe mold member B.

fore been accomplished by a system of piping The stationary mold member A comprises a including several lengths of flexible hose or the rectangular cast .metal (e. g. iron) frame 20 and like, particularly for the movable mold front. a rolled copper plate 0r mOld face 2| appropriate- The aim of our present invention is te provide 1y secured thereto. The frame 20 is recessed a cooled slab mold of improved construction and 01 hOllOW t0 provide With the plate 2| a 00011118 appearance; and particularly to simplify the pipcompartment. The movable mold member B ing for delivering and withdrawing the coo1ing Similarly comprises a rectangular east metal medium. A further aim of the invention is to frame 22 and rolled copper plate or mold face 23. provide for more uniform application of the cool- The tWO mold Sides are Secured t0 the Stationary ing medium to the -entire surface of the mold meld member A and each comprises a copper faces, and mold sideswhen cooled, and thus to plate 0r meld face 24 Secured by bolts 25 to a more uniformly equalize the heat absorbed by backing bar 01 Spacing bleek 6.A The blocks 25 the cooling medium. These and other objects of are Secured t0 the member A by bOltS 2l eXteIldthe invention will oe better understood from the ine' threugh registering holes in the intermefollowing description taken in conjunction with diete Coppel' plate The inner face 0f each backthe accompanying drawings, in which ing bar 26 is recessed to provide with its ad- Fig. 1 is a. from; elevation of the improved mold jacent mold face 24 a longitudinal cooling comof the invention, partment 28. Service packing 60 is included be- Fig. 21s an elevation of the ieft side of the mold tween. the Contactine Surfaces Of the meld face as viewed in Fig, 1, 40 24 and the backing bar 26 to provide a water- Fig. 3 is an elevation of the right side of the tight 101m- In the accompanying drawings the mold as viewed in Fig 1, copper plate is shown secured to its frame by Fig, 4 is a 'front elevation of the mold back round head bolts 21' tting in counter bored with the mold front removed, holes in the plate and registering drilled holes in Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the frame and 45 the frame. However, the plates may be attached vcooling compartment of the mold back, with the to their respective frames by the construction cle-4 copper mold face removed, scribed and claimed in our copending application Fig. 6 is a, transverse section of the mold, 0n for Letters Patent Ser. N0. 522,460, filed Februf the section line 6 6 0f Fig 1, ary l5, 1944, whereby expansion and contraction Fig, 7 is an enlarged detail of the right end 5o of the plates during the casting cycle set up no of the transverse section of Fig. 6, UndUeStreSSeS.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal side section of th'e mold The copper face plates 22 and 23 and side plates back, on the section line 8-8 of Fig. 5, and 24 form a rectangular mold cavity 29. 'Ihe bot- Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional detail of a moditom of the mold cavity is closed by a bottom bar ed form of mold side construction. 55. 30, preferably of iron, chrome nickel iron, or the like. secured by bolts 3l to the mold back A. Adinstable bolts 32 mounted ina bracket 33 on the depending foot of the mold. back A help support the bottom bar 30 and prevent its sagging.

The frames 20 and 22 are substantial counter parts. Each has a series oi spaced longitudinal or vertical ribs 34 dividing the recessed frame i Each of the iive channels has a series of spaced transverse ribs or baiiles 36 of a width or depth somewhat shorter than the depth of the recess in the frame. While we have illustrated and described a mold with five vertical channels, it is to be understood that this is merely by way of example, since the mold may have fewer or more such channels.

A cooling medium, such as water, is admitted to the inlet manifold 31 of 'the mold back A through an inlet pipe 40 and to the inlet manifold i 31 of the mold front B through an inlet pipe 64. The bottom or lowermost rib 36' in each vertical channel is positioned just above the bottom openings 35 of the longitudinal ribs, and differs from the other ribs above it in that it is of the same depth as the recess in the frame and has a vertical opening of predetermined size. These vertical openings 4l, 42, 43, 44 and 45 are best shown in Figs. and 6 and increase in size as their distance from the inlet pipe (40 and 64).increases in order to equalize the pressure and ilow of cooling medium in each of the4 five vertical channels. Thus, the inlet pipe 40 is positioned directly below the smallest opening 42. '.Ihe two adjacent openings 4| and 43 are equally distant from the i inlet pipe 40 and are hence of the same sizepbut larger than the opening 42. The openings 44 and 45 are progressively larger being progressively farther from the inlet pipe 40. The openings are thus so graduated in size that equal distribution or :dow of cooling medium takes place in the five channels.

The mold back A has a. depending foot 4s preferably cast integrally with the frame 20. The foot has a base 41 resting on supports 63. Integral vertical ribs 49 extend between the base 41 and the bracket 33. The space between the base 41 and the floor accommodates a distributing chamber 50 for inowing cooling medium, and a similar collecting chamber 5l for the out-owing or exhaust cooling medium. pipes 50' and 5i communicate with the chambers 53 and 5I, respectively.

The distributing chamber 56 has appropriate outlets for cooling medium, namely the substantially vertical pipe 30 communicating with the inlet manifold 31 of the mold back A, a pipe 53 communicating with the inlet manifold 31 of the movable mold front B, a pipe 54 communicating with the compartment 28 in the spacing block 2.0

Inlet and outlet of one of the mold sides (the left side as viewed vfrom the front, Fig. l), and a pipe 55 communieating with the compartment 28 in the other mold aide. The collecting chamber 5I has appropriate inlets for returning cooling medium, namely the substantially vertical pipe 56 for cooling mediumfrom the mold back A. a Pipe 57 I9! 909.11115 medium from the mold front B, and a pipe 58 for cooling medium from the two mold sides. The pipe 56 is a vertical standpipe Aor enclosed discharge conduit positioned in the middle vertical channel of the mold back A (Figs. 5 and 6), and extends upwardly to near the top of the recess in the frame 20 of the mold back A, and downwardly to its connection with the collecting chamber-5|. The discharge conduit 56 may, of course, be positioned in any one of the vertical channels. and may in fact be a cast cored opening extending from near the top of the recess in the frame through the mold foot 45 to approximate its point of connection to the collecting chamber 5I. In any event it is a cooling medium discharge conduit enclosed within the frame 20. The openings 36 near the upper ends of the vertical ribs 34 permit flow of the cooling medium from the tops of the vertical channels to the top inlet end of the conduit or pipe 56.

'I'he inlet pipes 54 and 55 conduct the cooling medium to the bottom oi' the compartments 28 oi' the mold sides. Return cooling medium is conducted from the top of the left mold side (Fig. 1) by a pipe 6I connected to the pipe 58. Return cooling medium is conducted from the top of the other-mold side to the pipe 53 through a pipe 62.

The inlet pipe 53 turns upwardly and termi- .nates in a vertical nipple or section 53 in alignment with the axis of the pivot pins Il (Figs. 1 and 2). The outlet or exhaust pipe 51 turns downwardly and terminates in a vertical nipple or section 51' in alignment with the axis of the pivot pins Il; the lower end of the section 51' `terminating a short distance above the upper end of the aligning section 53'. A unitary cast metal manifold 63 having two separate cored holes or conduits 64 and 65 is secured at one end to the bottom of the mold front B .and is mounted at vthe other end (66) to turn or swing about the axis of the pivot pins Il. The other end 66 of the manifold 63 is positioned between the ends of the aligning sections 53' and 51 and has a liquid-tight swivel connection with each section.

permitting the manifold to be swung with themold front about the axis of the pivot pins Il. One end of the cored hole 64 communicates with the vertical section 53' of pipe 53 and the other vend of the cored hole communicates with the inlet manifold of the movable mold front B. Similarly, the cored hole communicates at its ends with the vertical section 51' of the pipe 51 and an enclosed discharge conduit or standpipe 61 positioned inthe middle verticalv channel of the mold front B. The discharge conduit or standpipe 61. like the discharge conduit 56, extends upwardly from its connection with the cored hole 65 to near the top of the recess in the frame 22 of the mold front, and may be a cast cored opening in the frame 22 asvhereinbefore mentioned in connection with the discharge con-l duit 56. The vertical ribs 34 of the frame 22 have openings (like the opening 36) permittingl flow of thev cooling medium from the tops of the vertical channels to the top inlet end of the discharge conduit 61.

Assuming the mold closed and locked, molten compartments 28 of the mold sides. The circuy lating medium rapidly Ycarries away heat from the adjacent copper mold faces 2|, 23 and 24. When the cast metal has set, the bolts I1 are turned to release the links I4, and the mold front B is then swung on its pivots through an arc of approximately 90. The casting is removed, and the mold is ready to be closed and locked for another casting operation. Only two cooling medium connections are made to the mold, namely the inlet pipe 50 and the outlet pipe 5I.

In cooled slab molds of the heretofore Ycustomary construction, the cooling medium adjacent the copper mold faces flows upwardly, freely and unhindered, to the discharge outlet at the upper end of the water compartment. Our investigations have demonstrated that this construction does not afford a uniform distribution of the cooling medium to all parts of the copper mold faces, and hence does not uniformly cool the cast slabs. Our improved construction of the cooling compartments assures uniform distribution of the cooling medium. Thus, the cooling medium enters the manifold 31, formed by the lowermost transverse rib 39 and the openings 35, and flows into the ve vertical channels through the graduated lor metering slots 4I-45. 'Ihe transverse ribs 39 provide a series of deep pockets (see Fig. 8) in the vertical channels, which impart a very active swirling action to the upwardly flowing medium. This swirling action causes turbulence in the cooling medium as it flows upwardly past the copper mold faces, and thereby effects a rapid and uniform equalization of the absorbed heat, since the cooling medium in contact with the copper mold faces is constantly changed by the turbulent and lively swirling action. l

The flow of the cooling medium into each of the five vertical channels (of the mold back A and the mold front B) is regulated to give uniform distribution of the medium by the slots or open- .lings 4|-45. These slots are of predetermined graduated size to effect uniform distribution of the cooling medium to each of the five vertical channels, irrespectiveof the point of connection of the inlet manifold" to the inlet pipe 40 (or 64 in the case of the mold front B). Thus, the size of these slots increases as the distance of the slot from the inlet pipe 40 (or 64) increases.

The longitudinal ribs 34, in -addition to forming the vertical channels, provide supports for the copper mold faces. and furthermore, in conjunction with the transverse ribs 39, reinforce the frames to withstand the clampingpr locking of vthe mold members and the strains imposed by ,casting the slabs. The longitudinal and transverse ribbing is preferably cast integral with the metal frame. All of the ribbing is within the water compartments, so that the exterior of the mold is smooth, thereby avoiding the collection.

of spills, dirt etc.

Our invention provides a simple, neat and effective means for conducting the cooling medium to the movable mold front and withdrawing it therefrom.- Since the mold front swings on its pivots or hinges through an arc of 90 or more, the cooling medium connections are made through swivel pipe connections, which heretofore have been troublesome and unsightly. According to our invention, the unitary cast manifold 83, with its two cored holes, is a permanent and rigid part of the mold. It provides a path 'of low friction loss for the flow of the cooling medium and materially improves the general appearance of the mold.

The distributing and collecting chambers or boxes 50 and 5i for the cooling medium are attached to the ibase or foot of the mold back, and permit convenient connection to the cooling medium inlet 50' and outlet 5|', thereby saving time in initial installation, and when exchanging molds from time to time. All inter-connecting piping between the chambers 50 and 5| and the various cooling compartments of the mold are built into the mold and form a permanent part thereof, thus dispensing with the several fiexible pipe connections heretofore used with molds of this type.

It has heretofore been usual to form the cooling compartment of the mold sides (where such cooling is necessary, as for example in casting sla'bs over albout 2" thick) in the copper mold face (i. e. 24). This involves machining the copper mold face to form the compartment, and requires an initial copper bar of sufiicient thickness for the compartment, and involves an excess use of copper as well as the loss in machining. According to our invention, the backing bar 26 is made of cast iron or the like, and the water compartment 28 may be advantageously formed in it by a cast cored opening, although it may be formed by machining if desired. This permits the use of a rolled copper plate 24, of substantially uniform thickness as well as of less thickness -than required when the coc-ling compartment is machined therein.

In order to cast slabs of varying widths in the same mold, it has heretofore been the usual practice to change the copper mold face (24) or backing Ibar (26) at one or both sides. Diierent mold faces or backing bars are used for each change, thus requiring a stock of different size mold faces or Ibacking bars for each mold width.

We have found that changes in mold width can be more readily effected, with fewer stock parts of different size, by making the mold side of three members, namely (1) a copper mold face 24', an `intermediate backing bar 26 and an outside backing bar 52 (Fig. 9), the backng bars being of cast iron or the like. The bar 52 is secured by bolts 21 to the mold back A, and the three members 24', 26 and 52 are secured together by bolts 25. Changes in mold width are obtained by using intermediate backing bars 26 of different widths, while retaining the same mold face 24' and outside backing :bar 52. In Fig. 9, the cooling compartment 28 is shown as incorporated in 4the intermediate backing bar 26', but it will be understood thata this feature of our improved mold construction may be equally well, n

and even more advantageously, applied wher'e the cooling compartment is incorporated (by machlnin g) in the copper mold face.

The improved mold of our invention provides for better and more uniform cooling of the cast metal than in the heretofore commonly constructed molds of this type. All of the pipes for the cooling compartments of the mold are rigid and connected as permanent parts ofthe mold. The location of the cooling medium suprply and exhaust vchambers beneath the mold simplifies the piping system and makes possible the short length of vertical pipe for the mold back. The permanent pipe connections insure tight coupling and connections, and eliminate the use of flexible hose with its attendant disadvantages of springing leaks and obstructing the normal operation of the mold. The mold and its piping is a unitary apparatus requiring only two outside connections (50' and EI) for the supply and exhaust of the cooling medium.

In cooled slab molds, the mold faces and sides (when cooled) must have good heat conductivity for enicient transfer of heat from the cast metal to the adjacent cooling compartments. copper plate is now generally used for the mold faces and sides (when cooled), but it is to be understood that the mold faces and sides (when cooled) may be made of any other metal or material of equivalently good heat conductivity and not deleteriously affected by the molten casting metal. advantageously be made of chrome-nickel-iron. The lbacking bars, and intermediate backing bars when used, may be made of cast iron, cast or rolled steel, and the like. While it is advantageous to form the cooling compartment in the backing (or intermediate) bar as a cast cored opening, it mayy ibe machined if desired.

We claim:

1. In a mold for casting elongated metal slabs having a, mold back and a complementary mold front pivotally mounted at one side of the mold back, the mold back comprising a recessed metal i frame having a plurality of longitudinal ribs dividing the recess into a plurality o f vertical chan' nels, cooling medium supply and exhaust chambers positioned beneath the mold back, a mold foot directly beneath the mold back between the mold. back and the supply and discharge chambers, a substantially vertical pipe connecting said supply chamber to the bottom of one of said vertical channels, and a discharge conduit positioned within said recess and extending upwardly to near the top of the recess and connected at its lower end to said exhaust chamber, both said pipe and said discharge conduit being disposed' their lengths that connects the mold back with the supply and exhaust chambers.

2. In a mold for casting metal slabs having a mold lbaclr and a complementary mold front pivotally mounted at one side of the mold back, the mold back comprising a recessed metal frame i having a plurality of longitudinal ribs dividing the recess into a plurality o1' vertical channels,

said longitudinal ribs being of substantially the Rolled When not cooled, the mold sides may wholly within the mold foot over that portion of channel being of substantially the same depth as the recess and the other transverse ribs being of less depth, each of the lowermost transverse ribs having a vertical opening therein, each of said longitudinal ribs having a transverse opening near its top and a transverse opening beneath the lowermost transverse rib, cooling medium supply and exhaust chambers positioned beneath the mold back, a substantially vertical-pipe connecting said supply chamber to the bottom of one of said vertical channels, and a discharge conduit positioned within saidvrecess and extending upwardly to near the top of the recess and having a l substantially vertical lower portion connected to -said exhaust chamber.

`having a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet, a cooling medium supply pipe having a vertical section in alignment with the pivotal mounting, and a unitary manifold having separate inlet andv outlet conduits therethrough, one end of said manifold being secured to the bottom/ of the mold front with the inlet conduit registering with the cooling medium inlet of said recess and the outlet conduit registering with the cooling medium outlet ofv said recess, the other end of said manifold being positioned be-v tween the ends of the vertical sections of said supply and exhaust pipes and having swivel con@ nections with those'sections, the inlet conduit of the manifold communicating. with said cooling medium supply pipe and the outlet conduit of the manifold communicating with said cooling medium exhaust pipe.

4. In a mold for casting metal slabs having a mold back and a complementary mold front pivotally mounted at one side of the mold back, the mold front comprising a recessed metal frame having a plurality of longitudinal ribs dividing the recess into a plurality of vertical channels, said longitudinal ribs being of substantially the same depth as the depth of the recess, a series of vertically spaced transverse ribs in each of the vertical channels formed by the longitudinal ribs. the lowermost transverse rib in each vertical channel being of substantially the same depth as the recess and the other transverse ribs being of less depth, each of the lowermost transverse ribs having a vertical opening therein, each of said longitudinal ribs having a transverse opening near its top and a transverse opening beneath the vlowermost transverse rib, a discharge conduit positioned within said recess and extending from the bottom to near the top thereof, a, cooling medium supply pipe having a vertical section in alignment with the axis of the mold fronts pivotal mounting, a cooling medium exhaust pipe having a vertical section in alignment with the axis of the mold fronts pivotal mounting. and a unitary manifold having separate inlet and outlet conduits therethrough, one end of said manifold being secured to the bottom of the mold front with the inlet conduit communicating with the bottom of one of said vertical channels and the outlet conduit communicating with the bottom of said discharge conduit, the other end of said manifold being positioned between they ends of the vertical sections of said supply and exhaust pipes and having swivel connections with those sections, the inlet conduit of the manifold communicating with said cooling medium supply pipe and the outlet conduit of the manifold communicating with said cooling medium exhaust pipe.

5. In a, mold for casting metal slabs having a mold back and a complementary mold front pivotally mounted at one side of the mold back, the mold back and mold front each having'a compartment with an inlet and outlet for cooling medium, a distributing chamber for cooling medium and a collecting chamber for exhaust cooling medium positioned beneath the mold, substantially Vertical pipes connecting the cooling medium inlet and outlet of the mold back to said distributing and collecting chambers respectively, a cooling medium supply'pipe and a cooling medium exhaust pipe terminating in spaced vertical sections in alignment with the axis of the mold fronts pivotal mounting and communicating respectively with said distributing and collecting chambers, and a. unitary manifold having sepa rate inlet and outlet conduits therethrough, one end of said manifold being secured to the bottom of the mold front with the inlet and outlet conduits communicating respectively with the cooL ing medium inlet and outlet of the mold front, the other end of said manifold being positioned between the spaced ends of the vertical sections of said supply and exhaust pipes and having swivel connections with those sections, the inlet and outlet conduits of the manifold communicating respectively with said supply and exhaust pipes.

ERNEST C. FALK.

ROBERT S. STORRS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

